FWS Proposes New Restrictions on Imports, Exports of African Elephants

The Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to tighten endangered species permit requirements for imports and exports of African elephants. The agency’s proposed rule, released Nov. 16, would remove an exception from permit requirements for imports and exports of live African elephants and establish standards used to evaluate “enhancement” permits for imports of wild-sourced live African elephants. The proposal also would clarify the FWS’s existing enhancement requirement for applications to import sport-hunted trophies. FWS would also incorporate a country’s designation under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species National Legislation Project into the decision-making process for the import of live African elephants, African elephant sport-hunted trophies, and African elephant parts and products other than ivory and sport-hunted trophies, the agency said. Comments are due by Jan. 17.